Between Two Gods:Chapter 3
by Kasukichan
Summary: With Esther's mind gone, Loki puts his plan into full swing taking advantage of the little love-sick cleric's feelings he'd inserted himself in. But things go amiss when Esther's mind turns out to be much stronger then Loki might had hoped. Will the god of Mischief truly resort to his final "if all else fails" plans for the girl?


Chapter 3 -

The sun rose on a beautiful morning, its rays shown in through broken glass, shards still strewn about the marble floor. Steady breaths could be heard from a blissful Esther whilst she lay in bed.

Soundlessly, the trickster slinked into the bedroom to initiate his scheme.

A small buzzing noise assailed the girl's ear. Turning over, she lazily swatted the nuisance away. Drifting back to sleep she was yet again interrupted with the annoying sound of buzzing.

"Go away, pest! I am fatigued." Esther blurted out in irritation. Yet still the obnoxiousness persisted. Shielding her eyes from the bright rays that entered her room she glared the little fly down as it had the gall to hover just above her head.

"Wait…" Blinking a couple times to focus her vision, she let out a groan and pulled the pillow up over her head. "Go away Loki! Couldn't you have at least chosen a more appropriate time to enter? I am not properly robed." She said muffled under blankets turning on her side. Esther heard a small laugh from behind her and reached out a hand from under sheets to the man now back in his human form. Holding Esther's hand he inhaled deeply preparing himself to butter up the girl as best he could to better perfect his plans to a T. Loki sat on her bedside twiddling her fingers with his own in silence before he spoke.

"Esther, it is already noon. Your mother would worry if your body were any more adhered to this bed."

"Let her worry. I am abnormally worn and wish to sleep today."

"Will you not be eating then?"

"If fasting for one day means I may return to slumber then I shall brave such dangers."

"I see, I should return this tray then."

Esther cocked an eyebrow up in confusion and pulled the pillow from her face. Eyes going wide, she threw off sheets uncaring of her attire and moved to the tray of food that sat at the edge of her bed.

"This is for me?"

"It is, you were not yet awake so I asked the kitchen to prepare you something." Loki said softly as he brushed a lock of hair from her face. Looking to Loki, Esther gently took his face in her hands putting her lips to his in a tender kiss. He had not yet thought about that part… quite taken aback, but if he screwed things up this early in the plan, it will all have been for naught. Loki returned Esther's tenderness with feigned passion. Gently placing a hand behind her neck Loki leaned into Esther laying her back on the bed as their lips slowly moved with one another. Esther's hands dropped from Loki's face, sliding under his jacket to his shoulders. The mischievous charlatan ran a hand over the deep curves of the cleric's body. Such a tiny thing, so easily broken, yet so much strength built up in one woman. He could not fathom such a paradox of a being.

There was a light knock on the door and what seemed like Alexandria's calls were heard muffled from behind the wooden door. "Esther dear, are you still not up yet?" The rattling of the door handle now sounded through her room and Esther broke her mouth from Loki's in fear of getting caught in such a position with a man.

"Do not enter mother, I am changing."

"Very well child, as long as you finally leaving your bed." Alexandria left and

Esther sighed giving Loki one last peck before sitting back up.

"I should eat before it gets cold."

Loki stood, smiling. "Please do, you will need your strength."

"For what?" she asked bewildered.

Catching himself, Loki turned away, smirking to himself. "No reason. I have some business I have to attend to. I shall return to you." Dissipating in a cloud of green smoke Esther went to the tray of food to eat, no longer wishing to stay in bed all day.

The gardens were fresh with tulip bulbs, waiting for their pristine moment to bloom. Running a hand over the flowers Esther brought the other hand to her lips, reminiscing over the scene that'd played out in her bedroom just that morning. They'd never gone so far as to be that passionate with each other. Was it because he'd finally returned? No, there felt like there was something wrong with the entire scenario. Staring off in concentrated thought, a sudden sharp pain struck her head forcing her to collapse, screaming out in pain. Visions of Thor tore through her conscious mind.

"_Esther, wait for my return. I~~" _She heard muffled words through fiery daggers. _A light kiss to the forehead…_ met with tears of anguish.

"Your what!?" Falling to the ground as she dug nails through her hair, more memories came with more pain.

_Hands linked together, and a face…_ "Thor..?" Esther convulsed on the ground, destroying the flowers she had just admired.

"_Heimdall, I am ready." A flash of light struck the earth and the Thunder God vanished._

Memories blackened out with her final vision being that of a strange circular pattern in the ground. Then all traces of her seizure faded into nothing. Sweat and tears dripped from her face as a twitching body lay lifeless in the grass.

"Those memories…" Esther mutters. She wiped shaky hands over her face to remove and traces of dirt. "Why do I know of such things? That circle…I know that place… It was all so, familiar." Something was wrong with her memories… and she was going to figure it out at any cost.

Tentative steps shuffled through the freshly cut grass of a vast empty field. An arm held the torso of an aching body and the other groped its way along a brick wall for support. Finally, she'd made it to the imprint in the ground.

"Thor…" Heavy breathing and a lack of vigor led to Esther crawling her way to the formation's edge. Sharp pains returned as she reviewed the memories that'd shot through her just before. Taking a deep breath she spoke to the man in the sky. "Heimdall, something's wrong. These memories are not my own. Please, send word to Thor. I am in need of him now…" With her final breaths, the cleric lost consciousness uttering less than a whisper as eyes shut on a dark figure hovering over her. "Loki…"

Watching from afar the god of mischief took the form of a garden snake, slithering its way at a distance behind Esther. He knew what would happen if she got through to his brother. This was no mere mortal. She was the high cleric of these lands and he could tell she was not going down without fighting it through to the end. He had to fix this. What would assure that Esther would only stay true to him in the end? Loki's mind raced with the possibilities until it finally dawned on him…

He knew exactly what he had to do. Once she woke, Esther would be his, body and soul. It was his last resort, the girl's spirit was much too strong to control on whim. Tonight, he would break Esther and steal her away from his pompous brother. Scooping the girl up in his arms he carried her back to her room in the castle.


End file.
